I feel like one aspect of Viktor that often gets overlooked is his relationship with movement. Especially in post-canon explorations, where his leg and spine pain have vastly improved, Jayce is almost always framed as the “athletic” one, while Viktor is imagined as the one who would rather lounge and read. And as always: you’re free to picture them however you like. This is just me sharing my perspective on what canon might suggest.
From my very first watch of the show, what stood out to me was how elegant Viktor’s movements are. The animators did a wonderful job of making everything he does feel deliberate - partly, I think, because his disability forces him to move with care, but also because that thoughtfulness is simply part of who he is.
The first glimpse we get of what Viktor would be like if he were fully able-bodied is his run at the docks. That scene made me cry the first time I saw it, and it still does. You can see him pouring his whole heart into every step — this is Viktor being free, if only for a fleeting moment.
The other, and most telling, example is during the council room fight, when Viktor moves through one of his dolls. It’s less a fight and more like a choreographed dance. And because it’s literally his mind guiding the doll, we see his own natural sense of grace, creativity, and — dare I say — sensuality, when unrestrained.
That’s why I think: if there is a post-finale Viktor who lives with less pain, then once he makes it past all the gestures vaguely trauma, he would absolutely revel in his freedom to move. Maybe he goes for runs, maybe for swims, or maybe he just dances around the kitchen in their cottage. It’s hard to picture fully, because we only ever got glimpses of a Viktor without pain — but I’m convinced that within him lives someone who genuinely loves to move.
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From someone who has it! I figured people who're writing Viktor (or anyone else you'd like to bestow this condition onto) might find this helpful.
For anyone who doesn't know, Viktor is theorized to have severe Femoral Anteversion in his right leg. Mine is not quite as severe as his is, but it's enough to cause problems. Currently my condition has me considering buying a cane at the ripe old age of 22, which is a few years younger than Viktor was in Season 1 Act 1.
Femoral Anteversion looks like this:
This can happen in one or both legs. I have it in both, but it's far worse in my left leg. Viktor's seems to be mainly in his right leg. To be clear, this is NOT the same thing as his lung disease, though it likely exacerbates that disease a bit. The anteversion very likely worsens the problems with his back, but isn't necessarily the cause. Now, lets get into it!
What is Femoral Anteversion?
A wonderful post by @ihavea-natural-curiosity explained that all here, so I'll leave it to that person to explain what it is.
What is it like to have Femoral Anteversion?
Depending on the severity/treatments done for it, it can range from barely noticeable to a constant pain. If we put that on a scale, I'd say my right leg is at a 2-3, and my left is at around a 7-8. Viktor is likely at a 9-10 on his right leg. 8 on a good day.
General Pain Sites: mainly are in the knee, the hip, and lower back. Pain is worsened by long periods of standing, or long periods of sitting. Basically if its in one position for too long, it hurts. For me, it's difficult in school when I have to sit for a long time, and at work, where I stand a long time. Viktor may have more flexibility as he can stand or sit at his job whenever he wants, though if he's low energy that day, sitting for a long time may be his only option.
If standing for too long: (for me that's more than half and hour to an hour, for Viktor it may be more like 15 minutes), pain will start in the lower back, typically on the side of the bad leg, and with each step that spot on the lower back will pop. It's rather uncomfortable, doesn't relieve much pain the way popping a joint normally does. Pain from standing too long tends to be in the lower back, below the kneecap, and on the side of the hip, in the center between the front and back half of the body
If sitting for too long: typically the pain sites change slightly depending on the position, but often it's in the back of the hip, the lower back, and above the kneecap. Sometimes there may also be awkward positions sitting when trying to keep weight off that leg, which ends up hurting your upper back or shoulders too.
Painless: The only position I've found to be completely painless when in it for a long time is laying down on my back, with a pillow under the knees. Takes ALL the strain and weight off of those joints so it doesn't hurt. Only annoying bit is sometimes the REST of my body gets tired of being in that position anyways. I really only do this if it's hurting pretty bad that day because I can't really do anything while laying down like this. Even being on your phone is annoying cuz your arms get tired eventually.
Treating Femoral Anteversion
There's a bunch of treatments for it, the main ones are physical therapy, a brace, and a surgery. Typically none of these are needed because this usually happens in children, most of whom grow out of it. In the people who don't, physical therapy, a brace, and/or surgery may be needed.
The Brace
They usually hug the thigh as the problem is in the femur, the thigh bone. The reason Viktor likely doesn't have one of the top two may be either:
1. Pain, the braces can be rather painful, and with anteversion as severe as his it may have been too much
and/or
2. It may have interfered with his back brace. The bottom brace doesn't work as well, but it is certainly far better than nothing.
To be clear, the most comfortable position for someone with femoral anteversion to be in is with their toes pointed inward. So the brace is not necessarily actually for comfort, it is for overall health. They're rather painful as it forces you're muscles, tendons, and literally bones, to be in a different position than they are naturally. Braces for adults would also have to be worn most hours of the day, and likely forever. In children the brace is taken off after they have grown enough that the anteversion is corrected, but in adults they are done growing, so it must be worn as much as possible.
Generally a brace is not actually the go-to form of treatment for adults, as physical therapy works better and is less uncomfortable for the patient.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy for femoral anteversion will look like a lot of leg exercises to strengthen the outer leg muscles that will help correct the direction of the femur. It's very possible Viktor does these, or did them when he had the strength. When his disease got worse he may not have had the energy, but if he ever saw a PT in Piltover to help with his leg then they likely had him do exercises every day, possibly in the morning and at night with how severe his case was.
Stopping the exercises would likely mean the leg returns to its previous condition, as the muscles would no longer be maintained and would grow weaker again with time. In which case, the brace would help, and is possibly why Viktor has a brace in act 2 of season 1, but not in act 1.
Surgery
This surgery is called Femoral Osteotomy, and is a rather invasive one as it will change the direction of your whole femur, thus the direction of your whole leg. People often need walkers after this surgery, and can definitely come with complications. The reason Viktor didn't get this done is almost certainly because of his disease. A lung disease increases the risk of complications exponentially, especially with something as invasive as this surgery.
Disclaimer: I personally haven't actually had any of these treatments because I cannot afford them at the moment, though I'm hoping to go into physical therapy soon. The treatment order tends to go PT, brace, and surgery as a last resort.
Daily Life with Femoral Anteversion
Honestly, for most people with this, there's not much difference. They may not even feel any pain. My right leg technically also has femoral anteversion, but rarely hurts. But for people with a more intense case, like my left leg, or Viktor's right leg, there's a few things that can be different, so here's a list of some things that I do because of my femoral anteversion, that might be interesting to include in your writing:
Constantly correcting the direction of the foot. It becomes an unconscious correction after months of practicing, but occasionally it will still happen that you have to consciously move and correct it
Some days hurt worse than others! It can be just how you wake up that morning, or it can be due to activities done that day
Constantly cracking the bad knee. Especially when sitting or standing for too long. I crack my knee probably every few minutes or so when I'm standing for more than 5 minutes
Leaning elbows on a table, crossing the legs at the ankle, and leaning the torso side to side to get a stretch in the hip and potentially pop the lower back. Even deeper stretch by letting the elbows go below the table top and balancing by holding onto the table with just the fingertips.
When turning around, forgetting to move the bad leg too so it ends up turning almost completely backwards. This doesn't hurt, but as soon as I do it I often think "Aw fuck I'm not supposed to do that". Sometimes this makes you trip too.
Tripping over the bad foot when it gets in the way
Massaging or gently hitting the bad knee and hip to help the pain
Preemptively taking painkillers when anticipating a lot of walking or standing. May also do this for sitting, like on a plane or long train ride
It's hard to pop the hip but when it does happen it's both rather painful and instant pain relief. Very similar to popping a shoulder that's been annoying all day
Getting something warm to put on the knee and hip to help with pain. My favorite thing is the Warmies stuffed animals, the added weight feels good too
If without a cane/crutch, or somewhere to sit, then leaning heavily on tables, walls, and railings when in pain. Limping when you can't do that
Pushing the bad leg out to the side to get a good stretch in the hip (In the sexual sense, having the knees spread far apart for a long time would end up painful. Shorter sessions will be fine, but the best positions for something lasting a long time would be ones where the bad leg can be resting on something at a 90° angle or wider at both the hip and knee. A pillow under the knee works perfect. If on top, the person would likely end up leaning on the good leg, and leaning on the bed/a pillow/the other person with their arms to take the weight off the bad leg)
Constantly changing sitting position, generally every 5 minutes, give or take depending on how bad the pain is that day
Sleeping on the side with a pillow or blanket between the knees
Would secretly really really love for someone else to massage your leg because it's so difficult to get the right spots by yourself, especially in your hip.
Aaaaand that's about it! Feel free to ask any questions!
I love that ARCANE is using the MAJOR ARCANA for symbolism.
Chefs kiss.
These are Sevika's tarot cards from season 1.
The Magician (upright) overlapping Death (upright).
Foreshadowing? Oh hell yeah. But its only now after S2 Episode 6 do I understand what they might actually be foreshadowing. People may have talked about this before, so I apologise if this is similar to anyone else's meta. These are all my own thoughts, I usually just watch arcane and don't dabble into the meta but this season has me feral and I just rewatched season 1.
SPOILERS for Arcane S1/S2 below.
I just want to prologue this post with a note about how I've noticed even from season 1 there are thematic parallels and linear symbolism being afforded between Jinx and Viktor. Others in the community have too I'm sure. Its strange. I thought it was interesting in S1 but didn't deep dive into it, but S2 has driven headfirst into it and its making me go "oh... oh ok." Even Viktor in S1 noted Jinx's genius, and in another timeline perhaps Powder would've been a student of Viktors had fate not set them on parallel paths. Two children of Zaun, both mechanical/scientific geniuses. One physically disabled whilst the other mentally disabled. One who "escaped" and was given a chance, rising to the top only to create something that would be used for harm. Fighting that fate at every step. Whilst the other trapped at the bottom of the barrel, forced to use her gifts to become a weapon herself. Such GOOD story writing.
So now let's think about the art of the cards, because in tarot, even the symbolism of the specific art is important. Its why an artists interpretation of a major/minor can be so crucial to a reading.
Here's a figure map I made earlier.
Lets begin with Death.
Thirteenth of the Major Arcana, a "significant transformation and the end of a phase in life." There is death and rebirth symbolism all over arcane, but let's take a closer look at the symbolism mirroring the art.
Figure 7&8 - The one who has "died" a skeleton/skull laid down and being "imbued" with something as something else is taken away.
See that the imbuing focuses on the "chest" area.
It's quick, but it flashes briefly when Viktor is being imbued with the Hexcore. He canonically dies "the skull" and is reborn with the Hexcore on an "altar"/table.
Same with Jinx. Canonically "dies" and is reborn laying on an "altar"/table using shimmer. Purple being used as the visual thread between shimmer and the arcane of the hex; a colour imagery representation of "magical" alchemical/arcane power turning them into something beyond human.
Singed and Jayce. Two hands of death, giving and taking life as if they were a God. One using shimmer, the other Hextech thats imbued with shimmer. Messing with the balance of life and death.
With Viktor, the energy is transferred straight into his chest, just like on the card.
So now we've established the parallels to the death tarot, lets look at The Magician.
The First of the Major Arcana, "the connection between the physical and spiritual worlds, and the ability to manifest one's desires."
Viktor is the Magician. No doubt. He connects the physical and spiritual world of the arcane, he brings people back from the brink of death, as he was. He manifests his desires through the use of the hex, the arcane. And the dude just looks like a mecha wizard.
Though if you want it to be even more obvious.
Figure 3 - The Third Arm/Third Hand.
The image below is "The Machine Herald" Hero from League of Legends. This is the hero Viktor is based upon.
He canonically has three arms, same as the Magician in the card. The Magician is Viktor, Viktor is the Magician. The Magician is the Machine Herald.
The Magician overtakes/overlaps death. But Viktor by episode 6 still doesn't quite resemble the machine herald from the games. There's no third arm... Yet. So the Magician in the card isn't Viktor from episodes 1-6, this is the machine herald who comes after the one killed in episode 6. Another Rebirth is set to happen for Viktor.
Figures 1 &2 - White mask. Red/pinkish eyes.
Hmmm... Red/pinkish eyes are associated with shimmer. And a white mask, of the machine herald? The mask of a messiah. That the hextech Viktor will most likely also be imbued with shimmer like Jinx, to become the true "machine herald." Messiahs of the hex, monsters of the shimmer.
Its also worth noting that both Jinx and Viktor are framed as messianic figures of Zaun in this season. One the fighter who will rally together the undercity and free Zaun from its oppression. The other a healer and a saint like figure who will free the Zaunites of their suffering and lead them into a better future.
Jinx wanting peace - represented by Isha - and Viktor's dream of peace and healing for Zaun - represented by a lot of things including healing Vander - are metaphorically and literally killed in episode 6. Funnily enough, one symbol of peace killing the other (Isha and Vander - Child and Father). After all, peace and violence are two sides of the same coin, as are Viktor and Jinx. Or should I say, two sides of the same cog...
Figure 4&6 - The Cog shaped Hole in the Magicians chest/The Cog Coin and Jinx's cog.
"I understand now. The message hidden within the pattern. The reason for our failures in the commune. The doctor was right. Its inescapable. Humanity. Our very essence. Our emotions... Rage. Compassion. Hate. Two sides of the same coin. Inextricably bound."
In episode 6, whilst Viktor is explaining to Vi about what it will take to heal Vander, Jinx is sceptical. She doesn't even believe in herself as a messiah, so this "hero"? This "saviour" coming along to solve their problems? To fix things? When all she can do is break everything around her, jinx her own family, destroy? She's scoffing at Viktor sure, but she's also scoffing at herself. Mirroring. People treat her like they treat him, so to believe in him as a saviour means she would have to look into the water of that well and face her own reflection. And Viktor sees right through it, the pretence, and he sees her potential.
Knowledge is a paradox. Jinx wants to stick with what she knows, to destroy instead of to build, to "Watch it all burn." Or ignore the plight of Zaun, so she can live peacefully with Isha. Jinx - Powder - is choosing to remain ignorant to what's right in front of her. Right up until the moment Isha dies.
In the scene earlier in the episode, Jinx accidently destroys a bit of the well, releasing a cog that falls into water. Cogs have been symbolic of Viktor healing people throughout this season, using cogs to "Build."
Powder was thrown into water just like that cog by Silco, and reborn as Jinx. But its not Silco that picks up this cog. Its Viktor. He holds the potential of his creation in his hand, and in paradox, holds Jinx's destruction. Viktor holds Jinx's potential. He's literally holding the two sides of Jinx/Powder in his hand, her - their - fate. Just like Jinx, Viktor has the equal capacity to destroy, and if he is reborn as a weapon later on, perhaps that cog represents Jinx being reborn too. As a creator. A builder.
He holds onto Jinx's cog all the way through the rest of the episode, balancing that potential, that fate, of creation and destruction in his hand. Right up until the moment he dies, and the coin/the cog falls, sealing their fate. His death causing the deaths of Isha and Vander too.
So we've established that the story is viewing cogs/coins in a similar light. We've also established the show is linking Viktor and Jinx through the symbology of the cog.
This is reiterated in the symbolism surrounding the Tarot cards. Around the cards are coins that take the shape of cogs, the currency of Zaun. Fate - coin flips - and cogs, gods and machines. Deus Ex Machina, that is what Viktor is to become, and Jinx creates destruction using machines. She's an inventor, just like Viktor and Jayce. A creator and a destroyer. A god of the machine.
So how does Figure 6 - the coin cogs - relate to Figure 4? The hole in the Magician's chest.
On the Tarot Card, the Magician has a circle in the middle of his chest. A hole. Just like the hole Jayce puts through Viktors chest at the end of Episode 6. The one that kills him.
But if you look closely at the image above, it might be a stretch, but to me, the striations on the inner ring look very similar to those of a cog. The hole is what kills Viktor. Cogs have been given visual symbolism for healing, and are also associated with Jinx's potential for creation. Its a stretch, but it could potentially be foreshadowing Jinx using her abilities to heal Viktor; to build instead of destroy. We've already seen Jinx do it once with Sevika, by "building" her a new arm.
I also find it interesting that we're shown Jinx using her talents to build someone a new arm, and Viktor - the machine herald - still has yet to acquire his third arm. Perhaps he doesn't make it. Perhaps Jinx does?
Maybe, just maybe, Jinx - Powder - is the one to fix Viktor, and flip the cog of fate once again.
Now in Episode 6 we already get foreshadowing that it'll be singe - not Jinx - who saves Viktor by imbuing him with the ultimate shimmer from Warwick/Vander - stabilising him. He says it in the episode, but Viktor refuses to sacrifice Vander in the name of creating the ultimate weapon of destruction.
"It would destroy him."
Viktor's potential for destruction goes hand in hand with Jinx's.
Its even foreshadowed in both the cards. The red/pink eyes of the machine herald foreshadowing shimmer. And the shadow being imbued into the chest of the dead skeleton (Viktor) looks an awful lot like Warwick; the beast that traps Vander.
So why am I talking about Jinx saving Viktor if I'm so certain its Singe? Well I'm certain Singe will bring Viktor back to life, to be used as a weapon. That seems like the most likely outcome.
But like Viktor was saying about Vander "He's not a specimen, he's a man." Viktor was doing everything in his power to save Vander's humanity. So yes Singe will bring the machine herald back most likely - even if I think it'd be thematically cool for it to be Jinx - but I think Jinx will save Viktor. Save the man, the humanity. Be the big fat hero.
Jinx was a girl imbued with Shimmer, and despite having monstrous abilities and doing monstrous things, her humanity has still survived.
I could be wrong, I most likely am, but the the thing that's getting to me is this...
Figure 5 - The Broken Infinity.
At the centre of Viktor's chest, in the middle of Jayce's death blow and Jinx's cog of creation & destruction, is a symbol.
Now a diagonal infinity symbol is associated with the Firelights. Ekko. The boy who shattered time.
Broken Infinity? Shattered time? Seems to go hand in hand.
Though Ekko's symbol is a whole infinity, more akin to a Z than an ongoing X.
There are plenty of theories Ekko will play a role in Viktor's fate and the fate of everyone by rewinding time somehow. And the multiple shots of the coin rolling support that to an extend. Rewind time, change fate, change the flip of the cog. And I agree, I think Ekko is going to have a role to play. But there's also another character who fits with this symbol, who uses shimmer to move faster than humanly possible and defy fate time and time again. Who is the fulcrum of fate in the eyes of the story, the catalyst of everything. And only one character who has solely been associated with a broken infinity symbol before.
Jinx. That's Jinx's symbol. Her champion tag.
Jinx's symbol, right at the centre of Viktors chest. And this line to Jinx from Viktor...
"You have much to offer this commune, Powder. Your talents could be used to build instead of destroy."
And the line from Singe, about Viktor's fate being tied to the commune. Viktor IS the commune, he's the centre of it all. The one who can make the dream of Zaun - Vander's dream - a reality. And that line foreshadowed Jinx using her talents to help the commune. To help Viktor.
Hell, she was technically the reason he "died" in the first place. She fired the rocket that nearly killed him. Wouldn't it be poetic story telling if she was the one who saved him in the end?
I can't wait for Saturday.
I believe whatever happens, Viktor and Jinx's fates are inextricably bound.
As much as I love the look of Viktor and Silco in their stunning gauntness, that’s a signal of their poverty and malnourishment as children. I get that it’s kinda glamorous and high fashion for us to have that slender waist and small frame, and I think that they both would rock it depending on the circumstances (Silco particularly) but they definitely look like that because they were underfed and didn’t get enough vitamins because of the situation they grew up in in the undercity. So like, do with that what you will.
(regular disclaimer that I will exaggerate big feelings for effect but at the end of the day this is fandom and in the grand scheme of things Just Ain't That Serious good? good)
okok look while I am obviously SOOO into where Arcane went with the Machine/Arcane Herald, I can get why gamers who liked og LoL Viktor would be Big Annoyed at him being totally retconned and overhauled in game. That is undeniably a totally different guy there and yeah it would be shitty to have the guy you like completely swapped out. I can especially get it if they liked the mechanical cyborg engineering aspects of his character!
BU T I keep seeing iterations of "he didn't choose anything for himself he just had things happen to him" or "he just went mystic. he used to be someone who used his genius to remake himself and now he just meditated himself into a wizard" and I am so so down to meet in the pit on those takes!! I get people not liking the less mechanical aspects of him but hhhhhhohmygod do not be taking my guys agency and genius down like that
Yes the initial full fusing with the hexcore is something that happened to him, that someone who loved him maybe too much did to him (almost like Arcane has themes of people being launched down dark paths by things that happen to them beyond their control hMmMmmmmmm!!!) And btw I still hold that while his brain got changed by trauma (bc trauma DOES THAT) and the hexcore helped amplify and empower him leaning into his worst traits, after Jayce forced that initial fusion everything Viktor did was a choice.
But also!! Jayce used Viktor's notes. Viktor was the one who went down and got shimmer, who lied and experimented in secret. He stumbled into noticing the hexcore responding to biological material but then he pursued that avenue (because LIFE is a lot of stumbling into things and then deciding what to do from there), figured out what interdisciplinary collaborations he needed to make, figured out on his FIRST TRY what runes he would need to put where.
And while they don't lean into the mechanical engineering genius as much as the OG Viktor like...guys that's a software engineer with a big scoop of magic theorist on top of it (who then started a pivot into biomechanical arcane theory like THAT). He made a magic AI! Don't go telling me he didn't use his genius to become the Arcane Herald when he made a magic AI and then I got to watch the hexclaw grabbing and programming runes into spells like the coolest shit ever!!
That man figured out how to make Jayce's ideas into reality. He then used the scant knowledge of the arcane that still exists to figure out and recreate, using technology, what mages do by instinct. He made a MAGIC AI HOLY SHIT. Jayce is STILL referencing Viktor's rune theories to figure out the anomaly!!
He did not use the same type of genius to become the same type of Herald, but my guy invented being a technomancer so hard that he turned himself into a magical supercomputer and was so good at THAT that he made himself a robowizard god and I will not be hearing anything belittling how nuts that is!!
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So… when I rewatched the scene for the first time I’ve noticed something interesting and since I did not see anyone else pointing it out I feel like it’s my job to do so. Look at this:
about how created things cannot surpass their creator in perfection. so viktor, perfectionist as he is, will keep augmenting himself until he is beyond recognition. but a disguise of something with flaws doesn't make it perfect — it's like adding parts and pieces to a device that still is centrally broken. no amount of augmentations or alterations will render him without error. as he descends the slope of his identity as the machine herald, he'll keep trying to recreate himself so that he is no longer traced with human fallibility. but isn't it ironic, that the further he gets, the more inherently human his actions become? how almost laughably human is it to truly believe you can better yourself to the point of acheiving perfection, even when belief turns into blind faith. it's the tragedy of being insatiable and repeatedly let down by a world that has always failed you in the first place
